A little history tidbit to break up the day:

Did you know that at the the time of the establishment of the Dual Monarchy
(Austria-Hungary) in 1867 just less that one third of the population of the
Empire was ethnically German?

Defeat in the Seven Weeks’ War at the hands of Prussia and Italy brought
Austrians to the realization that they no longer held “great” empire status.
Additionally, Austria no longer wielded any legitimate influence in Prussia or
the resulting German Empire. To remedy this, the Austrians and Hungarians
decided to bring their stalemated negotiations to a conclusion.

The resulting Compromise Ausgleich of 1867 divided the Habsburg Empire into two
separate states with equal rights under a common ruler. This arrangement
provided Austria-Hungary with the economic and social foundations to continue
as a relevant concern in Europe. While addressing the two largest
nationalities—Austrians and Hungarians—many nationalities and ethnic
groups (the remaining third of the population) remained largely unrepresented
in the government. Many historians trace the ultimate demise of the Empire to
this fatal flaw.

1867 was also a landmark year in the Empire as Jews were finally given equal
protection under the law and recognized as full citizens. Consequently, the
Jews became a thriving force in commerce, finance, industry and art—ultimately defining the tastes of and becoming the primary patrons and even
artists of the Secession movement.

All for now, but just think: how will Austria-Hungary re-gain their influence
in Germany and reconcile with Prussia? And with the Great Bear barking at the
door and meddling in the Balkans, where Turkey is rapidly losing power, what
will the Empire do next? Stay tuned!